Ca Cuba News Today

Island. and initially when i told them alan gross had been released, they were happy and pleased. but then when i mentioned that it was in exchange for three of the cuban five, their tone changed a bit. they were concerned that there was a spy swap in exchange for alan grosss release. you know, we also talked about possibly easing relations, diplomatic relations between cuba and the united states. and that was something that really struck a cord. youve got to remember. theres a long standing his...

I want to take our viewer to cuba now because cnn is the only u.s. network in cuba. by all accounts mr. gross was in bad shape. he threatened to kill himself if he wasnt freed soon. he already said good-bye to his wife and daughter. he can barely walk and has lost five teeth and sight in his eye. how is he doing? i know hes on the plane back to the united states, but do you know? >> reporter: he must be the happiest man alive because he really thought he was going to die in cuban prison. you can...

Vice rer so. and well see how it impacts the lives of those who travel to the island. theres been an important shift in recent years. the number of cubans traveling to the united states has surged. many of them and a lot of them are staying in the country. remember we have the wet foot/dry foot policy where cubans who touch u.s. soil and stay for a year become legal residents and have a very important support package. so all these things are part of this process. well see how deep the changes ar...

Hearing that. theres a line that believes things should change. so it will be interesting and it will be interesting to hear what a senator robert menendez, for example, has to say. he is is chairman of the foreign affairs committee. hes been working the issue of cuba during his whole career and whatever he has to say or senator marco rubio will be, i think, indicative of what we can expect from the cuban community in the united states. >> id like to talk just briefly about younger cubans becaus...

President obama. he is expected to speak about this at noon eastern and what all of this means for the u.s. relationship with cuba. lets start with global affairs correspondent in washington with more. good morning. >> well, carol, cuba has released alan gross as a humanitarian gesture, as you note. his health failing. the u.s. and naturally his family very concerned about him. but in addition to the u.s. and cuba are swapping spies here. now, the u.s. released those three cuban intelligence age...

Adjournme adjournment. but the next chair of the western hemisphere committee where any of the changes would have to start is going to be senator marco rubio. i can tell you that he has been steadfast on his opposition to lifting any sanctions and there is enormous unity amongst the cuban americans in congress, whether democrat or republican, whether south florida, new jersey or even texas in the case of ted cruz in standing firm against any unilateral lifting of sanctions on cuba while they sti...

The castro regime. >> what about the idea of opening up relations between cuba and the united states will more likely topple the castro regime than anything else because it will introduce democracy through the internet "weekend expres for example, to the citizens of cuba. >> i think a lot of beam with good sengss have that intention. but my question is what is it that the u.s. brings that every other country doesnt. cuba does trade with practically every other country in the world, canada, italy...

With markets. there has been a little. but basically the regime is very tight, very tough and frankly a very bad regime. its still very brutal. but the theory is that this could be a way to open things up. >> well, interestingly, i think a record number of americans have traveled to cuba even though you need special permission to go. so relations between cuba and the united states have been getting warmer in that sense, right, because americans are more septembering of cuba. is not quite so poli...

Course the cuban embargo will remain in place. president obama cannot lift that. but hes doing just short of that which is allowing more american to travel here, more american to send money here. and cubans are just waking up and learning this news. it hasnt been reported yet in the cuban press. this will be very welcomed news for the people who felt a cut off from their neighbor, the united states. >> president obama will. making a statement noon eastern time. well carry that live on cnn. patri...

This is the biggest political hot button in the united states. this is a tough one to go at and the fact that the administration is doing it shows that the president is determined to remain relevant. and in foreign policy the president has more unilateral authority than in any other area. its interesting that hes staking his bet on cuba and iran, the two countries that are probably the two large countries that have not yet been integrated into the world. >> i just got a message in my ear th raul...